Friday 10 July 2015

Birthday's to share this week : 12th - 18th July 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Jason Clarke does on 17th July - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 46, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 12th July
  • Michelle Rodriguez - Born 1978, turns 37 - Actress
  • Cheryl Ladd - Born 1951, turns 64 - Actress
  • Brian Grazer - Born 1951, turns 64 - Producer | Writer
  • Topher Grace - Born 1978, turns 37 - Actor | Producer
  • Bill Cosby - Born 1937, turns 78 - Television Personality | Actor | Writer | Producer | Composer
Monday 13th July
  • Patrick Stewart - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Robert Forster - Born 1941, turns 74 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Harrison Ford Born 1942, turns 73 - Actor | Producer
  • Cheech Marin - Born 1946, turns 69 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Singer
  • Cameron Crowe - Born 1957, turns 58 - Director | Producer | Writer
Tuesday 14th July
  • Harry Dean Stanton - Born 1926, turns 89 - Actor
  • Joel Silver - Born 1952, turns 63 - Producer
  • Scott Rudin - Born 1958, turns 57 - Producer
  • Jackie Earle Haley - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Writer
  • Matthew Fox - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actor
Wednesday 15th July
  • Travis Fimmel - Born 1979, turns 36 - Actor
  • Forest Whittaker - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Jan Michael Vincent - Born 1944, turns 71 - Actor | Producer
  • Brigitte Nielsen - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actress | Producer
  • Diane Kruger - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actress
Thursday 16th July
  • Phoebe Cates - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actress
  • Corey Feldman - Born 1971, turns 44 - Actor | Producer
  • Will Ferrell - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actor | Producer
Friday 17th July
  • Jason Clarke - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor
  • Donald Sutherland - Born 1935, turns 80 - Actor | Producer
  • David Hasselhoff - Born 1952, turns 63 - Actor | Producer | Singer
  • F. Gary Gray - Born 1969, turns 46 - Director | Producer | Actor
Saturday 18th July
  • Vin Diesel - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Paul Verhoeven - Born 1938, turns 77 - Producer | Director | Writer
  • James Brolin - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Elizabeth McGovern - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actress | Writer
  • Kelly Reilly - Born 1977, turns 38 - Actress | Producer
Jason Clarke was born in Winton, Queensland, Australia - a remote rural part of this outback State. His father was a professional sheep shearer. In his teens the young Clarke decided on an acting career and he enrolled in a class with the waiting to be discovered Hugh Jackman. After High School he moved to Melbourne to attend drama school at the Victorian College of Arts from which he graduated in 1994.

In his mid-20's his acting career kicked off with appearances in Australian television shows and films. His small screen debut came with singular episodes of 'Halifax f.p.' in 1995, then 'Mercury', 'Diagnosis Murder', 'Water Rats', 'Heartbreak High', 'Wildisde', 'Murder Call' and in between several appearances between 1995 and 1999 on 'Blue Heelers'.

His first big screen outing came in 1997's 'Dilemma' with Danny Trejo, and then 'Twilight' in 1998 with Paul Newman, Gene Hackman and Susan Sarandon, with 'Praise' that same year with Joel Edgerton. The next year bought 'Kick' with Paul Mercurio and Radha Mitchell, and then 'Our Lips Are Sealed' in 2000 with the Olsen Sisters. By this time however, after a string of popular television shows in the first half of the decade, the latter half of the decade turned very lacklustre with bit parts in B and C grade film fare. Becoming increasingly frustrated Clarke started questioning his acting career.

DEspite his self doubt, 2000 also saw 'Risk' and then 'Better Than Sex' with David Wenham and Susie Porter, but it was 2002's 'Rabbit Proof Fence' that was to prove a break through. Directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Kenneth Branagh, David Gilpilil and Deborah Mailman, this film was both a commercial and critical success in both Australia and Stateside. Suddenly he was getting noticed, and the offers started coming in.






Next up, there was a stint on Australia's long running 'Home and Away' in 2002, with three episodes on 'Farscape' in 2003, two on 'White Collar Blue' and seven on 'Stingers' up to 2003. 'Get Rich Quick' was next in 2004, with the successful 'Brotherhood' Showtime crime drama series for 29 episodes from 2006 through to 2008 during which time he also made 'Under Still Waters', 'Death Race' with Jason Statham, Ian McShane and Joan Allen, and then 'The Human Contract' with Idris Elba and Paz Vega as Directed by Jada Pinkett Smith.

Following these there were smaller parts in studio fare but featuring some big name talent including Michael Mann's 'Public Enemies' with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale; Oliver Stone's 'Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps' with Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf; David Schwimmer's 'Trust' with Clive Owen and Viola Davis; John Hillcoat's 'Lawless' with Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce; and Kathrine Bigelow's 'Zero Dark Thirty' with Jessica Chastain and Kyle Chandler.

In the meantime there had been a return to TV with thirteen episodes of 'The Chicago Code' and movies 'Yelling at the Sky', 'Swerve' and 'Texas Killing Fields'.

The last few years have seen bigger budget film fare as Clarke has risen to prominence in Baz Luhrmann's 'The Great Gatsby'; actioners 'White House Down' for Roland Emmerich; 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' for Matt Reeves; and the just released 'Terminator : Genisys' for Alan Taylor playing the saviour of the free world in 2029 against the machines, John Connor.







Still awaiting release in Australia is 'Knight of Cups' with Christian Bale; 'Child 44' with Tom Hardy; and 'Everest' due later this year and with an all star cast; 'All I See Is You' due in 2016; 'HHHH' currently in pre-production; and 'Weightless' recently announced.

With 58 acting credits to his name, one Producer credit and four award nominations so far, Jason Clarke is stepping out of the shadows finally, is a star on the rise, and capable of emulating an almost flawless American accent he is sure to do well in Hollywood, at last. Go get 'em Jason - the lad from outback Queensland. Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

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